


We Can Do This…

by Megane



Category: Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Admiration, Biting, Blushing, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Study, Clothed Sex, Clothing Kink, Cute Sex Noises, Dirty Talk, Dirty Thoughts, Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, French Kissing, Kissing, Laughter During Sex, Love Confessions, M/M, Making Love, Massage, No Polyamory in this One, Oral Sex, Outdoor Sex, POV Alternating, Pampering, Relationship Study, Romance, Rough Kissing, Rough Sex, School Uniforms, Semi-Public Sex, Sex in Various Situations, Studying, Teasing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-09-22 22:52:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9628772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane
Summary: Noctis and Ignis had known each other for years. It was a no brainer than they would end up together, but nothing changed. Their prior friendship just made them better lovers.





	1. Gently.

Noctis drummed his pen rapidly over his closed textbook. He heaved a heavy sigh as he looked at the other items set on the table in front of him. Several closed dossiers and abridged meeting notes were stacked neatly in small piles. All of them were read and finished. Noctis even had several sticky notes on every paper surface in front of him. His textbook was a current mess of highlighted text and notes written in the margin. Guess that made it his textbook now. He was also pretty sure that, over the past few months, his normal and shorthand writing had improved significantly. Aaah, the power of required reading…

He stopped drumming his pen and squinted sleepily at all of the files in front of him. “Augh, no more,” he muttered, dropping the pen onto the table and standing up. He scoot out the chair and stepped around it, immediately making a beeline for the couch closest to the balcony window. He fell down on top of it and groaned. Sweet merciful cushions… He grabbed one of the pillows, tucking it closer to his face. One of his legs was over the side of the couch; his big toe touched against the floor. His other foot was on the arm rest. This was, by far, the most comfortable position he had all day. He heard his phone vibrate and then several chocobo _kweh_ s floated into the air.

“Not now, Prom,” Noctis muttered into his pillow. He wasn’t sure what his friend wanted, but it wasn’t worth immediately getting up for. Augh, speaking of messages, Gladio also texted him earlier for... one reason or another. Noctis furrowed his brows. He remembered typing a message, but he wasn’t sure if he sent it or not. Mn, whatever. He’d figure out later.

Noctis stretched a bit and immediately regretted the decision. His bones ached. There was a dull throbbing in his head right near the back of his skull. There was a short lived pain in his left knee, but soon, that faded away on its own. With a final sigh, Noctis let himself fall asleep. Though a little painful, Noctis’ sleep was restful. It was also brief. He woke when he heard keys clatter down against his dining table. “Mn…?” Noctis sat up, brows furrowed and eyes squinted tiredly. Ignis looked over to the resting male and said,

       “Sorry, Noct. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Usually, Noctis wasn’t so easy to wake up, but the sound of keys was so sharp against his senses. He shook his head and wiped at his face. His neck felt unnaturally warm. Was that a rash? God, he hoped not. That was the last thing he needed to deal with. Well, second to last. Given the opportunity, he’d take the occasional pass on the studying. He rubbed over the spot and pouted almost as he sat up.

       “Nah, it’s fine. I was just…” He trailed off with a little stretch. He relaxed and saw Ignis looking over his notes and homework. Raising his brows, Noctis said, “It’s alllll finished…” Thank the fucking stars in the sky.

       “I see that,” Ignis said appreciatively. “I was more curious about what all these sticky notes were.”

       A beat of silence and Noctis mumbled to himself, “What _are_  those for…?” Studying had been a blur. He couldn’t remember everything he wrote or even why. Another thoughtful moment, and he shrugged up both shoulders. “I can’t remember, but. Whatever.”

He stretched again and heard Ignis chuckle softly. Ignis closed one of the dossiers before setting it atop its pile. Without being asked, he made two neat stacks on the table and lined them up right with the edge. After that, he looked to Noctis.

       “Hungry?” he asked.

       “I mean… I could eat,” Noctis said as he stood up.

He brought a hand under his shirt and scratched his stomach. He walked over towards Ignis, who reached forward to place a hand on Noctis’ hip. He drew Noctis closer with a firm hand. With their bodies pressed right against each other, Noctis smiled as Ignis leaned down. Their kiss was soft, pleasant, but brief. Noctis pushed up against Ignis, enjoying how their lips fit nicely against each other. When the kiss broke, Noctis touched their foreheads together. Ignis shifted his hand over to rub comfortingly at Noctis’ lower back, and Noctis sighed gratefully.

       “You seem tense,” Ignis said in a low voice.

      Noctis frowned a bit, brows tensing together. “Sitting in that damn chair all day isn’t exactly my idea of relaxing.”

Ignis drew back and nodded his head to the side. A silent cue for Noctis to follow him. The prince moved his hand from under his shirt and offered it lazily. Ignis took it and led Noctis to the bedroom. Noctis gave Ignis’ hand a squeeze, a silent little _Thank you_. Ignis stroked his thumb against Noctis’ hand. _You’re welcome_.

When inside the room, Ignis pulled Noctis all the way to the bed. Noctis stared at it gratefully. The idea of laying down again after the day he had filled him with relief. Ignis managed to regain Noctis' attention by tugging the prince closer. Noctis immediately wrapped his arms around Ignis' waist, and they kissed again in a slow connection of comfort. Noctis felt Ignis' hands smooth down along his sides, but then those hands dipped down underneath the untucked button up shirt and repeated the motion over bare skin.

Noctis pulled away from the kiss and licked his lips. He leaned his head to the side when Ignis kissed at his cheek and then at his neck. Noctis felt himself relaxing with every little touch that Ignis had to give. He sighed through his nose. His hands curled against Ignis' back as he leaned his weight forward. Ignis gave Noctis’ hips and lower back a squeeze. He let out a small hum. 

       “Ah,” he said studiously as he brought his head up again. “Very tense, in fact.”

       “Good thing you’ve got a cure for that.”

Noctis leaned his head back to look up at Ignis. He smiled lazily. His advisor met his eyes and then smirked. Ignis' hands moved to the shirt Noctis wore, dexterous fingers popping each of the buttons out of place.

       `“Indeed I do,” said Ignis confidently.

Noctis helped with the undressing process as much as he was allowed. He chuckled softly when Ignis shooed his hands away from his trousers. He liked it when Ignis took control. Even with small moments like this, it was just nice to let someone else take the lead for a while. Noctis leaned his head back and shook his hair out only to blink repeatedly when his bangs nearly blinded him. He sighed. He needed another trim, but he couldn’t be fucked to get it any time soon, honestly.

He looked back down once his underwear and trousers were lowered down. He carefully stepped out of each garment and tried not to focus on the warm touch of Ignis’ palms on his thighs. He reached down to comb Ignis’ hair back out of his face. Ignis lowered down, moving with unspeakable ease. Noctis had to take a deep breath to keep himself from getting too excited. But damn… Ignis looked so good when he was focused. Which was, well, all the time, really.

Noctis' eyes fell closed when he felt Ignis’ mouth around his cock. There was a complete lack of urgency with each suck and stroke. As much as he was enjoying all of this tenderness and attention, Noctis couldn’t help but hope that Ignis was enjoying himself just as much. He curled his toes against the carpet and grit his teeth when Ignis took him deeper. He opened his mouth and let out a weak noise. “Ig–  _g_ _ah…”_ Ignis’ free hand crept a relaxing pattern up Noctis’ body. First, it kneaded at a lean thigh before moving up and around to the gentle slope of Noctis’ ass. It came to rest on Noctis’ hip shortly after. Careful, firm movements of nimble fingers relaxed every inch of skin and muscle they could touch. Noctis shuddered out another moan. 

It was hard to stop his hips from rocking to match Ignis’ sucks, but Ignis didn’t make any move to stop him. Noctis kept his grip loose in Ignis’ hair; he leaned his head back again, ignoring the slight prick of his hair against his closed eyelids. Noctis rocked his head to the right side, his brows trembling as he felt Ignis’ tongue trail up the underside of his cock and flick against the slit. When the motion repeated, Noctis curled his toes again and gave into the urge to give another abortive thrust up against Ignis' tongue. Ignis drew his head away and began stroking Noctis’ cock with lazy tugs. 

       “Looking more relaxed already,” he said.

       Noctis laughed breathlessly. Well, that was a word for it. “Thanks to you.”

       “Hmm, don’t thank me yet.”

Ignis moved his head down to nip along the curve of Noctis’ groin all the way up to his hip. Noctis let out a stunted moan at the initial bite. That was a sensitive area, and even that brief contact was enough to cause a jolt of pleasure to run through him. Ignis drew away, stood up, and guided Noctis to the bed. Relief flowed into Noctis like a wave. The embrace of his sheets and the comfortable support of the mattress underneath him were welcomed sensations. It was almost funny how shy he was when they first fooled around. The idea of moving around naked in front of Ignis—especially when the advisor was still fully dressed like he was now—was _so_ embarrassing. But now? Noctis couldn't find it in him to care very much at all.

He tugged the covers out of the way and laid on top of the thin, topmost sheet. He flipped over onto his back and adjusted the pillows as he watched Ignis pull out lube and a condom from their hiding place. Noctis licked his lips. He hadn’t admitted as much out loud, but he liked when Ignis fucked with his clothes on. The most Ignis usually removed were his gloves, which were now being set on Noctis’ bedside table. It was hard to exactly explain _why_ it was appealing, but damn if he didn’t love it. It was a little surprising how quickly the clothing difference grew on him. But he wasn't complaining. Not at all.

Noctis spread his legs for Ignis, allowing his advisor, lover, and friend to kneel between his legs. Before getting to business, Ignis took Noctis by the sides and began carefully working over the tense muscle. The prince closed his eyes and surrendered himself to Ignis' treatment. It took Ignis months to learn how to touch Noctis' sides without actually tickling him. Noctis wasn't sure whether or not he should've been surprised that Ignis took the time to learn such a thing. Regardless, all of Ignis' hard work paid off. He had the prince melting under his touches.

       “You don’t have to do this,” Noctis groaned as Ignis’ fingers slid past his belly button.

       “Nonsense,” Ignis assured.

He pushed Noctis’ legs open just the slightest bit and pressed the tips of his fingers against Noctis’ loins. The prince bit down on his bottom lip to stifle the surprised moan. When he let go, his lip was a nice, deep shade of pink. Ignis moved his hands down a bit further; Noctis’ thighs and cock jumped at the touch.

       “Ignis…”

       “Right here then?” Ignis asked, acting as if he didn’t know. He pushed his fingers down firmly and continued working at the spot.

       Noctis leaned his head back against the pillows and moaned. His eyes fell closed. “G-god…”

Ignis flattened his hands against Noctis’ thighs and instead used his thumbs to work on the spot closest to the base of Noctis’ cock. Noctis moaned louder. He clenched his fingers against the sheets and tried to ride out the subtle waves of pleasure. When Ignis stopped, Noctis felt warm all over. Ignis wrapped a hand around Noctis’ cock and stroked him slowly.

       “You’re making quite a mess of yourself, Noct,” Ignis teased. 

Noctis opened his eyes and watched as Ignis squeezed as his length, coaxing more precum from his tip. He lifted his head a bit and saw spots of pre on his groin and just under his belly button. He quirked his brows up briefly.

       “W… what can I say?” Noctis retorted breathlessly. Honestly, what _could_ he say? It was Ignis' fault he was reacting so much anyway. He reached for Ignis and tugged at him imploringly. “Iggy…”

Ignis nodded and drew his hands away. This time, he went for the lube. Noctis’ patience was rewarded with the slick touch of fingers. Noctis lowered one hand down away from Ignis’ shoulder and brought it against his own forehead. “God…” he sighed out again when he felt two digits slide carefully inside of him. Ignis took his time preparing the prince. Noctis watched with barely opened eyes as Ignis worked him open. Watching him made it so much more intense than it was, and with the way Ignis was moving over Noctis' body with his free hand, touching him like he was something precious, something worth admiring—augh. It made Noctis' head spin with delight.

The third finger was more than welcome. Noctis drew in a breath through clenched teeth and let it out as a breathy groan. It didn’t hurt; he had grown used to it, and by now, it was just another pleasurable stretch. He moved his hand from his forehead down to his ass, curiously touching his fingers against Ignis’ and feeling how deep they had gone. Call it a perverted curiosity. He ran his fingers against his advisor's hand. Over the base knuckle, following up the fingers, though there wasn't much space for him to work with. Noctis' face felt hot. Ignis had three fingers buried almost completely inside of Noctis. The prince closed his eyes and mouthed another swear as he eased back against the pillows.

Ignis added more lube to ease his movements. He steadily began thrusting his fingers inside of his lover. Noctis kept his hand where it was for the time being. Feeling Ignis’ fingers fuck into him in different ways was just so damn erotic. Noctis sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, bit down on it, and let out a hard sigh through his nose. 

He worked his hips down against the prodding fingers. He heard Ignis give a low groan and was glad that the advisor was enjoying himself, even a little. Noctis drew his hand back to himself, dragging his fingers over his dripping cock. He squeezed the head of his cock between his thumb and forefinger, his heart skipping a beat when he felt more precum drip onto his thumb. He opened his eyes to look at the fat bead of pre. When Ignis finally pulled out his fingers, Noctis felt significantly better than he had earlier. All thoughts of exams, politics, and other such worries were gone. Noctis was focused on Ignis and Ignis alone.

Ignis made quick work of his trousers. He opened them up and pushed them down with his underwear, just enough to expose his cock comfortably for the condom. Noctis absentmindedly brought his hand up to his mouth, suckling over his thumb and cleaning up the small amount of cum there. He moaned when he felt the tip of Ignis’ cock. He spread his legs further. When Ignis sank deeper, Noctis closed his eyes and let out a long moan of approval. Ignis stayed in place for a moment, just letting Noctis feel him. When the prince was ready, he opened his eyes again and nodded for Ignis to move. 

The pace was steady, casual, but not overly careful. Ignis leaned down to kiss Noctis affectionately. Noctis moaned into it. He pulled one of his many pillows down and stuck it under his hips to give Ignis a better position to work with.

       “Better?” Ignis asked against Noctis' lips.

       The prince nodded, barely opening his eyes. “Oh yeah…”

       “Good.” Ignis pressed a hand beside Noctis’ head and shifted his weight forward.

       Noctis bit down on his lip again as he stared up at Ignis. He reached up to push Ignis’ hair back. “… You should– ah… keep your hair back more.”

       Ignis groaned, curling his fingers against the sheets. “I’ll consider it.”

Noctis nodded and slowly moved his hand from Ignis’ hair to the back of his neck. Ignis leaned forward, pressing his forehead down to the pillow. He kissed at the crook of Noctis’ neck as his free hand reached down to draw Noctis’ leg onto his hip. The pace picked up. Ignis drove his thrusts deeper, meeting Noctis’ hips with his own.

Noctis held on tighter. He wrapped his other arm around the advisor's neck and held him close. His breath hitched when Ignis thrust forward at such a perfect angle; Noctis swore he saw stars. He whined softly. Hearing that little noise, Ignis drew his legs closer to center his thrusts as he focused on that spot. Noctis curled his fingers, digging his nails against the nape of Ignis’ neck. The nails of his other hand caught along the carefully pressed fabric of Ignis’ shirt.

Each thrust was unhurried but intent on bringing Noctis off. Noctis’ expression tightened up in his pleasure. His moans were soft, cute huffs of pleasure. For a while, he was speechless as Ignis fucked into him, but then he found the sense to say,

       “You had better cum too.” He opened his eyes to weakly glare at Ignis.

       Ignis lifted his head and smiled. “I will."

       “I mean… it–ah! God… _Ignis…_ ”

Ignis kissed Noctis again, but Noctis found it hard to reciprocate properly. He moaned into the kiss, too distracted by his oncoming orgasm to do much else. When he finally came, he turned his head away completely. He tightened all over. His nails caught on Ignis' clothes, trying to find some purchase in reality, but it was all melting away in a hazy of ecstasy. Ignis slowed his thrusts, giving Noctis a few seconds to catch his breath. Noctis opened his eyes slowly and looked up to Ignis.

He raised his brows pointedly. There was still something Ignis had to do, after all. Thankfully, he wasn’t disappointed. Ignis grabbed Noctis by the hips and started thrusting into him again. The intent shifted, but the care, the adoration, the love were all still there. It was difficult with the new onslaught of pleasure, but Noctis met Ignis’ gaze, watching his lover’s expression become weak with satisfaction. Seeing such a relaxed and honest expression from Ignis made Noctis happy, and he loved to be the cause of that.

Ignis sucked in a breath right as he came. He gave a few more thrusts before finally stilling. Noctis waited a second and then reached up to grasp Ignis’ forearm, giving a tired smile up to his advisor. 

       “Good?” Noctis asked softly.

       Ignis leaned down. “Absolutely.” 

Ignis gave Noctis a peck on the lips, but he wasn’t getting away that easy. Noctis tipped his head and tightened his hold around Ignis’ neck. Ignis smiled against his lips. With the silent encouragement, Ignis made himself comfortable over Noctis and worked their lips together in a deeper kiss. Noctis parted his lips in silent permission. Ignis was quick to follow through, flicking his tongue against his lover's. The connection was so much and so simple. It was everything Noctis needed after such an  _arduously_ productive day. With a final smile, Noctis loosened his arms from around Ignis and let the advisor go.

       “Now… I'll go freshen up and make something to eat.”

       “I’ll be here,” Noctis said as Ignis pulled out. 

Ignis climbed off the bed, removing the condom and tying up the end. Noctis didn't watch Ignis leave. He shifted about to pull the covers up over himself. He’d clean up in a bit. Right now, he just wanted to relax a little before washing up and getting ready for lunch. 


	2. Blindly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update because I'm gonna be gone all day tomorrow. - _puts hand over heart, puts other up to the sky._ \- I solemnly swear that I'm going to get this fic finished.

        “Of course it rains. Of _course_ it rains!”

Ignis raised his brow as Prompto all but shouted his frustration to the sky behind him. He shifted his tote bag on his shoulder as Gladio groaned. 

        “Like that's what we needed right now, ugh… Just our luck."

Ignis closed his eyes for the moment and nodded. They were having a spell of bad luck lately, and this only seemed to cement that fact.

        “Too bad we can’t get the car through,” Noctis said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Ignis opened his eyes again and stared at the narrow, beaten path they followed along. _If only_ , he thought, and even his mental voice sounded exhausted. Usually, it wouldn’t have been much of a problem to maneuver the Regalia where they needed to go, but the trees were too close together here with little room for negotiation. Even on foot, the four of them had to walk two-by-two. They probably could have walked in a line, but it wouldn’t have been the most comfortable effort. There was no way the Regalia would have gone down this path without a scratch. In the corner of his eye, Ignis saw Noctis twist back to look the way they came.

        "Maybe we should give it a shot anyway— just bowl our way through.”

Ignis turned his gaze skyward. Rain pattered against the lenses of his glasses as he stared up at the bare, looming trees, which had to be at least a hundred feet tall. They were thin, leafless things, but he knew that it would be enough to put the Regalia out of commission if they were to just recklessly plow through. He huffed out a laugh through his nose at the thought though and looked straight ahead. He pushed up the end of his right glove and rubbed away the rain drops with the heel of his palm as he said,

        “That would be an unwise idea." 

Noctis and Prompto huffed in unison but didn’t say anything else. They all followed the naturally worn path in relative silence. The lodgings they were headed towards weren’t very far from the car at all, but the walk was unpleasant in the rain. Ignis just hoped that they had any open space available. There was a street side sign, but there wasn’t a number they could have called, and even if there were…

Ignis looked for the phone and pulled it out of his pocket. There wasn’t any reception out here. The cell tower icon had a line through it. The time ticked from 7:27 to 7:28 just as a drop of rain landed on the numbers. Ignis gave a small shake of his head and lowered his hand and the phone down by his side. It’d be a real shame to have to walk back in this weather.

Gladio sneezed suddenly and rent Ignis completely out of his thoughts. He straightened his posture in surprise. The phone was pulled from his hand, and he looked over to see Noctis staring at the time. The prince frowned at the screen, and Ignis reached over. He placed his hand against the back of Noctis’ neck. The prince drifted closer, still staring at the screen. Ignis kept his attention forward to guide them safely. His fingers traveled along the notches of Noctis’ spine. He could feel the tension radiate of Noctis’ body like heat.

        “Is everything alright, Noct?”

        “Mn.”

Ignis glanced down and saw Noctis hold onto the phone for dear life. His other hand drew up and clutched the drawstrings of his bag in a death grip. His entire body language begged to be left alone. _Unfortunate_. Ignis kissed the top of Noctis’ head and led him along quietly. A few minutes later, the trees opened out and revealed five wooden cabins. There were several fold out chairs sitting in front of each building. An unlit campfire was in the very middle of the space. The wood was dark and saturated with rain.

Ignis looked at each of the cabins and spotted one that had lit windows. He pointed it out, and the group headed towards it. Even though the campsite was mostly cleared of trees, the rain was thinnest here. Ignis found it a curious thing, but he didn’t question it. He moved his arm from Noctis’ back, taking point and climbing up the small set of stairs. Even the wooden awning felt like a safe haven. It was just nice to get out of the rain for a while. He pushed up a wet sleeve before knocking on the door. He took a step back and noticed that there was a sign on the door that said “Main Office”.

There was a brief silence. Ignis heard Prompto shudder; Gladio muttered something underneath his breath. Just as Ignis was about to turn, he heard the curtains pull back. He looked, and in the window to the right of the door, he saw a partially revealed slim-faced, wide-eyed person. Their expression was frightened almost, worried. Whether or not that was their natural expression, Ignis felt a little guilty just looking at them.

Making eye contact with them felt almost unnerving, but he managed to keep his reaction to himself.

        He asked, “Do you, by chance, run this campsite?”

        “I am the owner… yes…” came the ghostly soft voice. Thin brows creased together.

        “We would like a room, if at all possible.” He motioned to the three with him.

        The owner looked from him and then to the others. Then, they reached forward and touched a thin finger against the window. “Payments can be made in this drop box…”

        Ignis glanced down and, sure enough, there was a black rectangular drop box underneath the window. He reached back for the wallet in his pocket. “And how much is it?”

        “How long do you tend to stay…?” The owner looked at him, their worrisome expression lessening.

Ignis looked back to Gladio and Prompto, who only shrugged and looked to Gladio. There was a look of concentration on Gladi’s face. He held up one finger with a questioning look. He added a second finger; his expression became even more unsure. Looking back to the owner, Ignis said,

        “A night, maybe two.”

        “100 please…”

A hundred? They had much, much more than that to spare. He was glad to have found cheap lodgings for the type being. He just hoped that they were decent. He nodded and pulled out five bills. After counting them out, he slipped them into the drop box. The owner lowered their hand and whispered,

        “Thank you. Please wait here…”

        Ignis stepped back and put his wallet away. Behind him, Prompto shuddered. “‘m freezing…!”

        “Me too.” Gladio grumbled.

Ignis shot Noctis a sidelong glance. The prince was staring blankly at the drop box, but then he turned his head away slowly as though he knew he was being watched. Ignis reached forward and ghosted his touched over Noctis’ arm. He felt a twitch, a moment of resistance, but then Noctis relaxed. The sound of the door opening pulled Ignis’ attention away. The owner was standing in the doorway now. They were taller than Ignis by a head and half; it was a rare thing for him to have to look up to someone outside of Gladio. They were frightfully pale with long, thin black hair that covered the left half of their face and reached down to their waist. That worrisome expression had relaxed further if only a little, and Ignis accepted that that was just their natural expression. It was a little unfortunate.

They gave Ignis two keys, both of which had tags on them with room numbers. “These are the keys to your rooms… Two beds in each… I hope you don’t mind.” The owner drew their hand back slowly, fingers slightly curled, as they looked to Ignis. 

        He shook his head. “We don’t mind at all.”

        They nodded. “My name… is Swana.” They brought their half curled hand against their chest. "If you need anything… please let me know. But be mindful after midnight… I might be resting, but… I can help you if it’s an emergency…”

        “Duly noted. And where will—”

        As Ignis began to speak, Swana pointed off to their right side to the cabin closest to them. “There, please. I believe there are others sharing that cabin as well… so do mind your volume…”

        “Will do!” This from Prompto, who sounded relieved.

        “Thanks again,” Ignis said, looking to the keys now.

Swana nodded and stepped back without a word. The door clicked closed a moment later. Ignis turned around to face Gladio and Prompto. “Alright,” he began. “Here’s a key.” He handed off one to Gladio, who turned the item in his hands. Ignis felt a tug on his left sleeve. He looked towards the source. Noctis was staring at him through his lashes. The prince motioned a hand between him and Ignis. _You and me_.

        “Noctis and I will take a room,” Ignis said before looking to the other two.

        Unfazed, Prompto rubbed his arms quickly and said, “Looks like it’s just you and me, big guy!”

        Gladio tossed the key up and caught it in his hand. “Let’s see what they got.”

        “Yeah! I can’t take it out here anymore!”

As the two talked, Noctis turned and began to follow them. Ignis watched him silently, trying to gauge his body language. After a moment, Noctis looked over his shoulder and looked to Ignis. He didn’t look as wound tightly— he just looked tired now. Ignis’ shoulders sagged at the sight.

        “Coming?” Noctis asked.

        Ignis pulled himself away, ignoring the stab of heartbreak. “Beside you as always.”

Noctis gave a little smile, and the four of them headed towards their designated cabin. Now that they had their rooms secured, Ignis allowed himself to relax a little and take in their surroundings. The silence of the outside world was peaceful in a way. Seeing and hearing the rain drop against the wooden rooftops made Ignis believe he was living in another world, a life far away from crushing responsibilities. He paused for a moment to drink in the sight. This was a strange peacefulness he hadn’t felt before or at least not for a long time. With a slow nod, he decided that he liked it.

The front door of their actual cabin wasn’t locked. When they opened the door and stepped in, they could see seven doors to their left—three doors on each wall, and then a door at the very end of the hall. To their right was a small relaxing area. Ignis looked at the decorated area but felt no desire to go to it just now. They could explore that later if they wanted. For now, they just headed to their rooms, splitting into two groups. Ignis and Noctis took the center doors on the left with Gladio and Prompto taking the room just across for them.

        “Game plan?” Gladio asked as he slotted the key into the door.

        Ignis rolled a shoulder. “Relax for now and meet up later tonight to talk more about the details.”

        “Sounds good to me.”

With that, Gladio turned down the door handle and pushed the door open. Ignis faced his own door and did the same. The interior was decent. Ignis would’ve even called it cozy. There were two beds nicely made with all the basic furnishings. The grey curtains covering the small window were pushed open just enough to let in natural light. Ignis looked up at the ceiling and saw a light. When he looked to the right, he saw that there was a small lamp on the square accent table between the two beds. But he could also see that, on that very same table, there was a sheet of paper.

He walked closer to it. He heard Noctis close the door behind them. Ignis set his bag down beside the bed closest to the window, reached out for the paper, and set the key down in its place.  


 

> _Dear campers._
> 
> _Thank you for choosing to stay at my little woodland retreat. I have basic rules of conduct which will be outlined below. Please have courtesy and follow them to assure you enjoy your stay to the fullest. While there are not bathrooms in each room, there is an annex connected to each of your cabins that has bathrooms, a changing room, and a communal bath. The annex is yours to access 24/7._
> 
> _If you need anything from me, you may come to the Main Office or contact me by phone, which is located in your cabin’s common room. Thank you and enjoy your stay._
> 
> _Swana Austus_

  
Ignis briefly glanced over the rules of conduct, most of which were common sense, before placing the sheet down. He looked over to Noctis, who was standing on the other side of his chosen bed and shuffling in place. Ignis raised a brow as he watched. Noctis flicked his attention to Ignis in the silence. He gave a tired little smile. It was a little tense, but it was there. Ignis returned the smile with a small one of his own. Noctis came around the bed and revealed that he was wearing fuzzy slippers on his feet. Ignis stared down at them and then laughed, completely caught off guard by the sight.

        “What’re you laughing for?” Noctis asked playfully.

        “I just… wasn’t expecting that. You sure changed quickly.”

        “You just read slow,” Noctis joked. “You have a pair too.”

He motioned a hand towards Ignis’ bed. Ignis looked down under the wooden bed frame. He had to step out of the way, but sure enough, he could see the heels of two slippers.

        “So I do.”

        Noctis huffed a laugh and looked to the paper. “So, what does—"

A harsh knocking interrupted him. The two looked towards the door, and Ignis headed over. Prompto stood on the other side with a towel thrown over his shoulder and excited puppy dog eyes aimed at the door. He broke into a smile when he saw Ignis.

        “DUDE! Did you read the—”

        “I read it.” Ignis put a hand on his hip.

        “We should go! We deserve to relax!”

        “What do they have?” Noctis asked as he came closer.

        “Communal bath, man. We should go!”

        “Gimme a sec.” 

        Noctis turned around, and Prompto laughed happily to himself. “Guess he’s wearing ‘im too.” 

Ignis raised a brow and looked down to Prompto’s feet. The blond gunner was barefoot save the dark blue slippers donned on his feet. Ignis smiled to himself. He almost felt left out in all this. Prompto looked down too and went,

        “Aww, Iggy. You’re not wearing any?”

        “I didn’t have a chance to settle in yet.”

        “Told ya you’re slow.”

Ignis felt a hand against his back. He looked over just as Noctis slid up beside him. The prince twirled the room key on his left index finger. The hand on Ignis’ back lowered down; his thumb hooked in Ignis’ waistband, fingers curling against his belt.

        “You’re coming though, right?” Noctis asked without looking up to Ignis.

        “In a moment.” To Prompto, Ignis asked, "Is Gladio?”

        “He’s doing something.” Prompto pointed his thumb towards their door and even looked back as well. He faced forward, focusing on Noctis, and said, “Guess it’s you and me, Noct.”

        “Let’s go then.”

The prince drew away. Ignis watched as Prompto and Noctis headed left and walked side by side down the hall towards the annex. He looked to Gladio’s door and then stepped back into his own room, partially closing the door. It definitely wouldn’t hurt to relax a little while they could. Their surroundings surely called for it. He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off, revealing a dark grey undershirt. He folded his button down distractedly, trying to find somewhere to put it before placing it down on the six door dresser. Now that he was alone, he let his thoughts drift down the list of things they still had to do. Familiar routine, different setting. He wasn’t sure how long he was lost in thought before there was a knock at his door. His thoughts dumped him back into the moment, just as Gladio stepped into the room.

        “You heading down too?” Gladio asked.

        Ignis looked to the towel in his hands. He had been so caught up he almost forgot. “I suppose I am.”

        Gladio laughed gently and turned back towards the door. “Well, let’s not keep ‘em waitin' then.”

 

Ignis was a little surprised to see a thin veil of steam coming up from the baths. When he exited out of the changing rooms, this wasn’t exactly what he was expecting. He actually had to rest his glasses on top of his head; the lenses were starting to fog up. He lowered down to his knees and touched the surface of the water with the back of his right hand. The water was hot but not scalding. He nodded in appreciation. This was all so curious. Were there fresh springs in this forest? He wondered if he should ask Swana about it at some point.

        “Look who finally joined us,” Noctis drawled.

Ignis looked over to see the prince staring at him with barely opened eyes. Noctis was up to his shoulders in hot water. His bangs were held back with a white hair band. Prompto, who was a bit of distance away, sat up a bit to look over Noctis. His bangs were held back with a black one. 

        “You two look comfortable,” Gladio said as Ignis stood up straight.

        “How could we _not_ be?” Prompto replied, sinking down almost completely underwater.

Ignis smiled; Gladio laughed a little. The two edged closer to the water, removed their towels, and stepped in. Gladio said to Prompto, “Hey, hey. Don’t go drownin’ yourself,” but Ignis’ attention immediately drifted towards Noctis. The prince looked so relaxed and yet simultaneously exhausted. It looked as if all the tension had finally seeped out of his body, leaving only this fatigued vessel in its wake. Ignis sank down beside Noctis and settled down on the smooth stone seat that was naturally carved out of the wall. He raised up an arm. Noctis took the silent cue and slid closer. Ignis' arm came down and wrapped loosely around Noctis’ shoulder.

        “How are you feeling now?”

        “Better. Tired…” Noctis sighed out and turned himself towards Ignis.

        Ignis could tell as much. He moved his hand down and rubbed over Noctis’ arm. “Anything I should have been worried about earlier?”

Noctis looked up to his advisor then. His lashes were so thick and long, criss-crossing prettily at the ends. His eyes were so beautiful. Ignis could stare into them and always find something to appreciate—the hue, the intensity, the ironic silver lining arched over the tops of Noctis’ eyes. Ignis was aware that their silence had stretched a little too long for a necessary answer, but he didn’t mind. Noctis blinked slowly and then looked away. He put his face against the crook of Ignis’ neck.

        “No worries. Just needed to think…"

        “About?”

Noctis groaned, deflating a little. Ignis moved his hand under Noctis’ arm and rested against the prince’s rib. Noctis shook his head a little and said, 

        “Everything…”

Ignis traced a line along Noctis’ right side with the pad of his index finger. After a moment, the prince huffed a laugh.

        “Thinking’s hard work. Never doing that again.”

        “I suppose I’ll just take over that duty too then,” Ignis replied with a smile in his voice.

        “Yeah…” Noctis looked up to Ignis again and hugged his advisor around the middle. His lips tugged with an attempt of a smile, but then he looked away, once again hiding his face. “You’re good at that…”

Ignis cupped Noctis’ waist with his right hand. He moved his left to run his fingers gently along Noctis’ cheek. Such a tired prince, burdened by the weight of the world and the responsibility he carried. If it were possible, Ignis would've shouldered most of the responsibility himself. He would've left enough to make sure Noctis could still learn, grow, and evolve but keep enough to prevent his beloved from being overburdened. What would it take, what would it take…? Ignis traced his fingers down to Noctis’ neck, following the vein down to his shoulder, and Noctis lifted his head slowly.

Their eyes met. Noctis slowly bit on his bottom lip. His eyes flicked his eyes to Ignis’ mouth and then looked up expectantly. Words weren’t needed between them. Though, Ignis would have loved to have heard Noctis whisper a demand to be kissed. Regardless, he knew what to do when that expectant gaze was upon him. Ignis gently touched his fingers under Noctis’ jaw and closed the space between them. He felt Noctis’ eyelashes brush against his cheek as the prince’s eyes fell closed. The kiss was sweet and slow, a caress of lips, a desire for contact without desperation. Noctis sighed into the kiss. When it broke, his breath shuddered slightly.

        “You’re gorgeous,” Ignis whispered before kissing Noctis again with just a long, single press of lips. When he drew back, he felt Noctis take in a deeper breath.

        “Yeah?” the prince asked softly.

        “Absolutely.”

Ignis moved to cup the side of Noctis’ neck, coaxing his lover in for a deeper kiss. He felt the moan against his lips and drew in a breath through his nose to keep himself steady. He opened his mouth slightly and brushed his tongue against the seam of Noctis’ lips. The prince opened for him without hesitation. Noctis moved his left hand up against Ignis’ shoulder blade, curling and uncurling his fingers in slow, distracted motions as they kissed.

When they pulled away, a blush was starting to form on Noctis’ cheeks. Ignis admired him for a moment and moved a hand to run his thumb over Noctis’ lips. They were so soft and gaining a bit of colour as well. Noctis’ fingers ghosted over his back. The prince hummed when he slowly fingered over a narrow ridge in the middle of Ignis’ back.

        “Getting more scars?”

Ignis refocused his attention to where Noctis’ finger was going. It went down and to the right for about ten seconds before beginning its upward climb again. Ah, he wondered when that happened.

        “I guess so,” he replied breezily.

        “Trying to compete with Gladio over there?” Noctis asked a bit louder.

        “What’d I do?” his Shield asked.

        Noctis smirked and flattened his hand against Ignis’ back. “He’s got another scar.”

        “Oh yes,” Ignis said before Gladio could manage a reply. "Heaven knows I’ve been going for more of a rugged look."

They all shared a laugh. Ignis and Noctis relaxed together against the wall as conversation sparked off. Ignis mostly listened as the others talked. He focused on their body language and the small things they did when one of them was talking. He had such lively companions. There were so many little habits he never picked up on before. Funnily, he wasn’t really paying much attention to himself. As he watched them, his hand slid down to the curve of Noctis’ hip. His fingers dipped into the curve of Noctis’ groin.

It was only when Noctis’ legs opened a bit did Ignis come back to himself. He felt the Noctis’ leg brush against his own, and suddenly, he was aware of where his hand had been resting. The prince’s hand overlapped his own, and Noctis' index finger traced gentle but insistent lines against Ignis’. The silent coaxing caused Ignis to follow along the muscle of Noctis’ inner thigh. He took his time as he ghosted his fingers along Noctis’ wet skin. He glanced over to watch Noctis’ reaction. It was subtle. The prince looked calm save the tension in his jaw. Ignis smirked. He slowed his touch even further as he moved his hand as far as it was able to reach.

By now, Noctis’ blush was spreading. He was starting to take on a deeper, more impressive shade of pink. It was truly a sight to behold. Noctis closed his eyes and knit his brows together. “Fuck…” he whispered harshly to himself and then sank down under the water. Ignis managed to hold back a laugh. He brought his arms and rested them on the stonework behind him. 

        “There he goes,” Prompto commented.

        “Sinking like a great ship,” Gladio added. He brought up his left hand and gave a quick salute to the sunken prince.

Ignis looked down to the spot where Noctis vanished off to. Through the opaque surface, he could see the top of Noctis’ head. The prince had to slide away from the stone seat to get closer to the ground. Ignis reached down and smoothed his hand over the flowing dark locks. He curled his fingers to scratch over Noctis’ scalp, silently encouraging him to come up. Noctis resurfaced a moment later; he took in a deep breath and sharply let it out through his nose.

        “Did you get your thoughts together?”

        “Think I did,” Noctis mumbled.

        “Haven’t we talked about you and thinking?” Ignis joked.

Noctis laughed and flashed Ignis his first characteristic smile of the night. The sight of it was enough to make Ignis smile in kind. He moved his hand to stroke his thumb against the corner of Noctis’ mouth. The prince crossed his right arm over, held Ignis by the wrist, and leaned forward to give Ignis a peck on the mouth. “You’re hopeless,” he teased before turning around and pulling out of the bath. Ignis watched as the full form of Noctis was revealed. Water slid down his body and over the tone of his muscles. Ignis looked higher and saw the beads of water trembling at the end of Noctis’ lashes. Water dripped down the curve of Noctis’ bottom lip, and the sight was woefully entrancing. Why was he crafted so beautifully…?

Noctis walked over, bent down for his towel, and threw it over his head. Ignis turned away, knowing good and well that he would stare at Noctis continuously if he didn’t. The other two were talking in low voices. Not about anything in particular from what Ignis could tell. Prompto had his head resting back against a wall as he stared up at the ceiling. Gladio sat beside him, eyes closed and seemingly content.

A peal of thunder sounded overhead. The strength of it was enough to rattle through the entire bathhouse. Prompto and Gladio both hummed but didn’t move. Ignis waited for a response of some kind from Noctis, but when he looked over his shoulder, he saw that the prince had gone off. _What perfect timing_ , Ignis thought to himself. He turned around, reached out for his towel, and pulled himself out of the water. He dried himself off and cast one final glance over to his companions. They didn’t look like they were going anywhere any time soon. Well, if this was the only peace granted to them for a time, who could blame them. Ignis let them be, went to the changing room, gathered his clothing neatly, and padded out of the annex. 

The wood was cold underneath his feet as he walked back to his shared room. There was another rumble of thunder, deeper and more intimidating this time. Ah, he just remembered that Noctis had the key. He knocked on their door when he approached, figuring the prince would already be inside. The door opened; there was no immediate sight of Noctis, but the inside of their room was much darker now. Ignis stepped in through the open door and went to the dresser as the door closed behind him. He set his folded clothes on top of his shirt. His shoes went down to the ground. On top of the pile of clothes was his cell phone. 

He heard soft footsteps approach him as he checked the time. 8:36PM. The clouds outside must have drawn together and thickened, further deepening their gloomy appearance and casting a heavy shadow over the world as the evening drew to a close. Well, that certainly accounted for the new level of darkness. A hand caressed his forearm; the other came to rest on his right shoulder.

Gentle kisses were laid between his shoulder blades, and the hand on his back smoothed down towards the towel. Even the half-hearted tug Noctis gave was enough to loosen the item from its place. Ignis grabbed the falling towel and set it on the dresser atop his other things. He turned to face Noctis and cupped the prince’s face, leaning down for a deep kiss. Noctis moaned, louder this time now that they were alone. He drew his body closer until they were flush together. Ignis sighed when he felt the naked line of Noctis’ body against his own. Noctis silently opened his mouth for Ignis once again, and their tongues met between the open space. He rocked up a bit onto his feet and moved his hands to Ignis’ wrists.

        “Need I say it again?” Ignis asked when he broke the kiss. He pecked Noctis on the upper lip and then on the tip of his nose.

        “Mn…? Say what?”

        "You’re gorgeous, Noctis.” 

        Noctis rubbed his thumb against the bone of Ignis’ left wrist and shook his head. “Coming from you? That says a lot.”

        Ignis smiled a little. “Does it now?”

        “Sure does.”

Ignis heard the little huffed out laugh. There was a smile there that he missed but knew so well. Noctis took a step back and tightened his grip on Ignis’ wrists. He guided his advisor over to the bed closest to the window. He gently tugged and pushed Ignis to the bed, silently instructing the taller male to lay down. Ignis followed without question. It was harder to make out Noctis’ features in the dark, but he could bask in his presence easily. Ignis reached up to take his glasses off his head. He folded them and set them off to his right—

He raised his brows and reached over for the two items near his head. He stroked his fingers along the familiar shape of the lube bottle. Lifting his hand a bit higher, he touched against the square foil packet.

        “Just in case you wanted to use it,” Noctis said as he ran his hands over Ignis’ chest. He leaned forward and kissed against his advisor’s chest.

Ignis hummed in acknowledgement but didn’t say much else. He moved his hands to cup Noctis’ sides. Noctis was so soft and warm from the bath. Ignis followed along Noctis’ shape down to the prince’s ass. He gave a squeeze; Noctis sighed a moan out against his lover’s neck. Ignis smiled to himself and crept his fingers closer together, spreading Noctis open and—

Ah.

There was already a telling slickness there. He ghosted his right middle finger against Noctis’ hole. Another moan this time as Noctis nipped up Ignis’ neck and up to his jaw. 

        “Got started without me?”

        “I was trying,” Noctis admitted in low voice as Ignis’ finger pushed into him.

Noctis gave another soft moan. It was amazing how such a simple sound could be so erotic. Ignis didn’t push in very far, only to the first knuckle; he circled around the muscled ring slowly and inserted his finger again.

        “Ignis…” Noctis groaned, curling his fingers against Ignis’ chest. “Quit playing around…”

Why should he? It felt so nice to play a little like this. He closed his eyes instead and hummed. He pretended to ignore the prince’s order and contented himself with feeling and hearing Noctis’ reactions. He felt the scrape of nails catch on his collarbone. Noctis grit his teeth and pursed his lips against Ignis’ jawline. Ignis curled his finger and rubbed against the rim, slotting the tip of his finger in and out in a bastardised mimicry of what he so longed to do. Noctis moved most of his weight down onto his hands, pinning Ignis down as he pushed his hips back towards the teasing finger. So demanding, even without words. Ignis loved it so.

Finally, Ignis pulled back his finger and reached up for the bottle of lube. He moved slower than he usually would have for the sake of being cautious. Unscrewing the cap felt like a new challenge in the dark. Noctis pushed up into a sitting position and rolled his hips down on top of Ignis’. The contact felt so good. Ignis bit down on his bottom lip and worked his hips up against Noctis’ rocking. He picked up his task, refocusing his attention. He carefully coated his own fingers in the gel substance. The lube dripped over his fingers and down onto his pubic area and grit his teeth against the contradicting, cold sensation. After another roll upward against Noctis, Ignis reached the bottle forward. He touched it against Noctis’ stomach, and the prince’s hand covered his own.

“Noctis…” Ignis moaned as he felt the prince move more intently over his hips. The way that Noctis moved was seductive and being unable to see it clearly made it even more so. Noctis sighed at the call of his name. His free hand went down to Ignis’ chest, scratching its way down to Ignis’ navel. Ignis drew in a sharp breath at the sudden pain. It wasn’t nearly as bad as anything he suffered in battle, and yet there was a part of him that was surprised by how easily the pain from the scratching mixed in with the pleasure. Noctis chuckled to himself and took the bottle out of Ignis’ hand. He sought for the top, screwed it back on, and leaned forward to place it back near the pillow.

He didn’t have to, of course. It would have been easier to just set it down on the bed right next to them, but it gave Ignis an angle to work with. Ignis moved his left hand to Noctis’ ass and spread him open. His other hand went to back to Noctis’ hole. He didn’t tease this time. He pushed in one finger with mindful ease, allowing Noctis to feel every bit of it as it entered him. The prince immediately relaxed around the intrusion. Ignis felt Noctis’ legs shake on either side of his hips. 

Noctis rocked back against Ignis’ finger, only slowing down when the second finger pressed against him. He shuddered out a moan, voice breaking ever so slightly. Ignis smiled at the sound. He teased a third, and Noctis let out a weaker moan. He pushed back insistently, but Ignis denied him. The prince huffed and leaned down. 

“Bastard,” came the breathless whisper. Ignis had a moment to relish the frustrated sass before Noctis bit down against the junction between his neck and shoulder. His moan died in his throat, and his body arched up ever so slightly off the bed. He groaned out Noctis’ name as he relaxed. He scooted himself down under Noctis until his hand had a more comfortable position. He thrust his fingers up into Noctis, setting a quick but not merciless pace. The prince tightened around him, moaned against his neck. Noctis pressed his forehead against Ignis’ shoulder. His entire body shook at once. “Fuck…” he whispered brokenly. Seemed like they were even now.

Noctis pushed up onto his knees, and Ignis stopped his fingers. He felt the weight of the bed shift as Noctis adjusted. He waited a moment before removing his fingers. Noctis’ moan sounded more like a hum. Ignis moved his hands and stroked along Noctis’ thighs in admiration. He liked the way they shifted under his hands as Noctis moved. He squeezed them when Noctis poured lube over his cock— the condom long forgotten in their minds. 

Noctis moved more surely in the cover of darkness. Once the bottle was secured and set aside, he wrapped his fingers around Ignis’ cock and stroked quickly. Ignis was caught off guard by the speed; he thrust up towards Noctis’ working hand, and he felt the prince’s right hand push down against his hip. “Uh-uh,” Noctis said in a teasing voice. Ignis curled his fingers and scratched down Noctis’ thighs. He earned a moan in response. Noctis’ hand loosened, but before he drew away completely, he leaned down and blew out a slow column of air over the tip of Ignis’ cock. Ignis thrust up into his lover’s loose hold. When Noctis moved this time, Ignis resettled his hands to hold Noctis by the back of his thighs. 

They moaned in unison as they fit together. Noctis was still so warm, so soft, so _inviting_ — it was enough to completely melt away Ignis’ composure. But, the advisor held firm. When Noctis moved up, Ignis pulled him slightly forward. The subtle change in angle made Noctis tremble. His legs squeezed against Ignis’ hips, and his moans were just a shaking exhalation of air. When Noctis moved back down, Ignis coaxed him back. It was easy to fall into a rhythm together. The darkness made him so much more aware of Noctis’ reactions. Every moan, every quiver, every shift was as loud as the looming thunder. Even when he couldn’t be seen, Noctis was a work of art.

The bed rocked now; the frame made their rhythm more audible against the wall, but neither of them cared. Ignis felt a hand touch his shoulder and carefully slide up to caress the left side of his face. Noctis’ fingers trembled as they moved. The prince himself groaned his curses and gasped when Ignis’ cock hit him just right. His fingers hovered over Ignis’ lips, and what could the advisor do but take them into his mouth. He sucked along the nimble digits. He stroked his tongue along the underside of Noctis’ fingers, following the slight bend before prising them apart and flicking his tongue between them. “Ooh… fuck…” Noctis groaned, rolling his hips when he sank completely down. “Why are you so good with your mouth…?” 

If said mouth wasn’t occupied, Ignis might have had a reply for that, but instead, he just groaned around the fingers. Noctis pulled his fingers back, and Ignis brought his teeth together a bit, gently scraping along the digits as they withdrew. Noctis spread his legs and braced his hands on Ignis’ chest. He leaned forward to get the angle he longed for, and Ignis let him take control. He pressed his head back against the pillow, fucking up into Noctis as the prince chased after his much needed ending. He dug his nails into Noctis’ skin but soon let go and let his hands stroke in mindless patterns over and under Noctis’ legs. 

The desperate and erotic moans of Noctis above him was enough to do Ignis in. His hands surged up to Noctis’ waist, and he pulled the prince down. Noctis doubled over, lying his body on top of Ignis’. His moan was weak and drawn out. He didn’t cum; Ignis could tell from the shaky way Noctis panted against his chest. The prince squirmed though as Ignis came inside of him. When he was able, Noctis pushed himself up again and grabbed Ignis by the wrists. He held the advisor's hands in place, but he was also clinging for dear life. It only took him a couple of seconds to fall back into his desperate pacing from before. Ignis heard his name whispered so brokenly, so needfully, that he felt that hot ball of passion swell in his stomach once again. He licked his lips before biting down on his bottom lip. Noctis came around him; his moan trailed off into silence. The short nails dug into Ignis' wrists, but he took the pain in stride.

Noctis’ release felt wet against Ignis’ stomach. Ignis moved his hips up to meet his lover, fucking Noctis through his orgasm until the prince slowed to a stop. They unwound with a long, hard exhale. Noctis lifted his hips and pressed his chest down against Ignis’. His fingers found his advisor’s hair. The soft touch of his lips was heavenly. Ignis held Noctis to his body. The thunder rolled again, rumbling like a satisfied beast, and Ignis felt one with the noise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> - _drops hands._ \- You ever start something and wonder why you started it in the first place? That's me with this. I think it's because of what the next chapters are supposed to be. All poetic and what not.
> 
> Anyway, yes, it's real. I'm actually making a comeback. It's going to be slow going. Nothing like that weird fast progress I had at the start of the year. We're taking our time right now. I went back and rewrote chapter one because that was…… a mess. Sidebar, I really like the minor characters I throw in these stories. New favourite pastime.
> 
> Also, for those curious _Alpha to the Omega_ is temporarily unavailable, but hopefully, it'll be back soon! I know y'all really liked that fic, and honestly, so did I. Let's just be patient and rock on.


	3. Masterfully.

The bulletin board was packed with posters of all kinds: notices, wanted signs, bounties, and even _rummage sales_. But, from what the group of four could immediately see, that was just the tip of the iceberg. Every _inch_ of the board had something on it, and it was very rare to catch a glimpse of the cork underneath. Even the frame had bits of torn posters and age old layered tape and broken staples and twisted tacks. It was a little hard to tell which posters were new and which ones were outdated just by looking. It was a little wild. Ignis stood about two feet away from it all, visually scanning each poster and trying to find anything worthwhile. There were a couple of vulgar but well-designed band posters that caught his attention, and an _Everything Must Go!!!_ sign held his gaze for longer than he would have admitted. When Ignis finally did shift away his gaze, he and Gladio shared a sigh.

        “This is a mess,” the heavyweight said. He brought up a hand to scratch the back of his head.

Ignis hummed in agreement, leaning back slightly when Prompto crossed in front of him to stand before the bulletin board.

        “You’d think with all these people out,” Gladio grumbled disapprovingly, “ _someone_ would’ve bothered to clean this thing up a bit.”

He hooked his hand around the back of his neck as he stared out towards the heavy foot traffic. Ignis turned his head to stare at the crowd as well. There were pedestrians _everywhere_ , and the cars he could see were trying to eke out a few inches to continue down the road. The stop and go traffic just wasn’t worth it in his book. It was better to just hop out and walk around. Gladio shook his head slowly.

        Prompto hooked his camera strap over his body and sighed. “I'm with Gladio. _No one_ cared enough?"

        “You’d be surprised…” Noctis hovered a finger in his line of sight, distantly tracing under each word he read. “City full of geniuses,” he muttered to himself. He paused what he was reading and then threw the board an irritated glare. After a few moments of intensely staring, Noctis reached out his right hand to pat Prompto under the elbow. “'ey. Help me with this.”

        “Gotcha!”

The two moved closer to the board simultaneously and began searching through the posters. They looked for dates, and if they found any, they ripped down the posters that were way past their due. They were very discerning about the ones they left standing. Ignis noticed that the vulgar but admittedly creative band posters were left alone. Gladio turned slightly to watch the two clean up the boards as well. He smirked at the sight of the pair working dutifully.

        “Not all heroes wear capes, right, Iggy?”

        Ignis nodded his head slightly, swaying his weight to his other leg as he did. He smiled a little. “Right."

Prompto sighed gently and balanced his right foot on the toe of his boot. He tapped the stack of torn down posters against his thigh to keep them organised between his hands. Noctis squinted at the remaining posters, having a bit of trouble seeing them up close. In spite of this, he wasn’t about to step back either.

        “I think I found something,” he and Prompto said at the same time. They looked to each other and laughed. Prompto motioned a hand with dramatic circular moments for Noctis to speak first.

        Noctis smirked and looked back to the poster. “This one’s looking for a sharpshooter,” he said, up nodding his chin to the text in front of him. “'The Greek Helba is looking for someone with a keen eye and fast reflexes to take on'—mn!” He stopped talking when Prompto’s shoulder knocked against his own. He glanced over to the excited blond and continued with a sigh, “– 'a monstrous beast.'”

        “I think _that_ would be _me_ ,” Prompto said, his voice lilting as he emphasised words.

He placed his right hand against his chest, fingers elegantly and dramatically fanned out over his vest. Noctis shook his head with a laugh. The others stepped closer to see what was up. Noctis rubbed his shoulder against Prompto’s pointedly.

        “Alright, hot shot. Let’s hear it."

Prompto smiled wide before reading: “'The Greek Helba is looking for someone with a keen eye and fast reflexes to take on a monstrous beast. Silence is key as once the enemy detects you, you are as good as dead. Distance will earn you an advantage, so gunners are highest priority.' Five exclamation points.” Prompto twisted his finger in a couple of loops before flicking it off to the right side. “Yata-ta-ta-ta-taaaa… Oh.” He jerked up into a standing position once he noticed what the enemy was and made a face. “ _Oh_ ,” he repeated. “They want to kill _that_ thing?"

        “What’s wrong, O Amazing Sharpshooter?" Gladio teased with a smirk. "Afraid of a little—?”

        “Calm down, Titan,” Prompto said without looking over. He jerked his left hand out towards Gladio, arm crossing over his chest and palm facing out his friend. “That thing’s _not_ little. Augh. The 'good' thing, I guess, is that we’ve fought one of these before.”

        Ignis popped out his left hip as he shifted his weight to the corresponding leg. He placed his right hand on his hip and cocked his head. “Are you sure you want to take this?” he asked smoothly.

        Unfortunately, Ignis’ question went in one ear and right out the other. “Whoa-ho!” Prompto shouted suddenly. He reached forward and angled the bottom of the poster closer to his face. “Check this out!!”

He looked back towards Ignis, who stepped forward; the other two moved in closer as well to see what the fuss was about. Prompto silently thumbed under the reward amount. 450’000 Gil. He started nodding with a grin.

        “Yeah?” He looked to the others, still nodding. _“Yeah?”_

        Gladio laughed. “Alright. I guess we’ll do it.”

        “Bounty’s gonna expire tomorrow,” Noctis pointed out, looking at the date in the upper left corner of the poster.

        “Not anymore it’s not. _Yoink_!” Prompto jerked his hand down and snatched the poster free from its place. “Let’s go find the person!”

        “And who would _that_ be?” Ignis asked as he reached over the blond and took the bounty sign.

His gloved finger supported a piece of however-day-old tape that was still attached. There was all sorts of tiny debris trapped in the now useless adhesive. Ignis gave a little disapproving shake of his head and shifted his hold on the poster, folding the piece of tape away from view. “The Greek Helba” was looking for a sharpshooter, it said, but who was that? An organisation? A group of people? A single person’s alias? It was hard to tell. On top of figuring out who or what The Greek Helba was, there was still the question of 'where' to meet up.

Ignis pushed up his glasses and read the justified text at the bottom of the poster. Carefully reading through, he found a simple line of text that would put them in the right direction: _Come inquire at the Tentan Lobby!_ Ah.

At least that took care of the “where”.

        Ignis drew the paper away from his face and spoke in a calm, sure voice, “We need to go to the Tentan Lobby.”

        “Now we just need to figure out where _that_ is,” said Noctis as he walked up to Ignis’ side.

He scratched the back of his head with both hands. He inhaled, chest lifting slightly, and then let out a breath with a small noise. Ignis looked down towards the prince. To his left, he heard Prompto ask Gladio: _“Wait, something just hit me. What do you mean 'we?'”_ Noctis laughed gently when he heard. He looked up towards Ignis to see his reaction but then gave a questioning tick of his brow when he saw Ignis already staring down at him. The silence between them was filled by the chatter of their companions and the ambience of the packed city. Ignis said nothing and looked straight ahead. Noctis furrowed his brows slightly but didn’t ask. He leaned closer into Ignis and nudged the taller male with the weight of his body.

        “Guess we had better start asking around,” he said as he moved to take the lead.

        “No time like the present,” Ignis replied.

Gladio and Prompto moved to catch up, chatting amongst themselves for a bit longer before focusing on the world around them. This city was completely new to them, and they couldn't entirely say where they were, either. The welcoming sign had an unpronounceable name due to their combined ignorance of the area and its dialect. Due to this, they all had to focus and work efficiently to reach their destination. But even with their united efforts, asking around took a bit of doing. It was impossible for them to discern between tourist, natives, and those just passing through. And, _augh_ , the traffic was hell. They kept getting separated in and by the crowd. The noise pollution was as unbearable as the numerous bodies they couldn’t help but bump into. This place was more packed than Odinheil, that’s for sure. Way more. The four grouped together at a packed crossing, waiting for the sign to change for their side.

        “So,” Gladio began, having to raise his voice a bit to be heard. "We’re not too far off.”

        “Just gotta go down that way.” Prompto pointed to the next block towards a building, though he was indicating the unseen road behind it.

        Noctis groaned, lifting up his right foot and then switching to his left slowly. “Let’s hurry up and get there… My feet are killing me.”

        Ignis chuckled. The noise was muted but there. “Still not used to walking around everywhere?”

Noctis could hear the humoured lilts in Ignis’ voice. The usually dry barb had more intentional teasing this time. He smirked up at his advisor.

        “Today’s just my lazy day,” Noctis said breezily.

        “Ah. One of many, I assume."

Ignis glanced down at the corner of his eyes towards Noctis. His lips were pressed tight together, trying to resist the bigger urge to smile. Noctis, on the other hand, laughed in a breath. His chest gave a little jerk with the humoured exhale. He swayed in place as he smiled. He licked at his right bicuspids thoughtfully; the action stretched his smile a bit more. The crossing sign ticked down its final seconds before it changed.

        “Alright,” Noctis said as he looked away. “I’ve got you, Ignis.”

Ignis’ right brow lifted. He tilted his head back ever so slightly. He was interested. Good.

        “Do you now?” he asked. His voice was a sensual rumble almost lost in the movement of the world.

        They had briefly forgotten about the others, but then Prompto reacted with, “Oooooh.”

        And Gladio smiled. “Seems like someone’s in trouble.”

        “For once, it’s not me,” Noctis said with a smile as he and the others moved with the flow of traffic.

With their gathered knowledge, they were able to navigate the crowded streets towards their destination: the Tentan Lobby. When they finally approached, they were a little surprised by what they saw. The front of the lobby was enormous. Crafted out of deep, dark wood with subtle black accents in particular areas, the entrance also sported subtly frosted windows to the left and right of its front doors. The windows were thick and wide with four solid panes. The small group could make out enough to see what was going on inside, but the details were still hidden from them. A woman turned her head towards them; a smile was playing on her lips. She was in the middle of a conversation, but somehow, the four outsiders gawking at the architecture outside managed to catch her attention.

It was best that they got inside then.

Noctis ducked his head and began up the cement steps. As he walked, he noticed that there was a paw print on the second to last stair near the top. The sight made him smile; unfortunately, the others didn’t see what he did. He looked up in time to push—no, _pull_ —the heavy doors open. It reminded him of a really outdated tavern where hunters and mercenaries and runaways and other fabled ne’er-do-wells came to do business. He looked around, wondering if he could spot a party of misfits forming somewhere.

As he looked around, Gladio and Prompto pushed a bit past to gather more information about The Greek Helba. Ignis watched to them go but then dawdled with the prince, whose attention seemed elsewhere. He heard the familiar rise of Prompto’s voice but didn’t register what the blond was saying. Instead, he watched the soft sways of Noctis’ hips with each distracted step he took. The prince’s arms moved more than his legs did, swinging idly at his sides as he moved. His hands were half curled; he looked as if he was always ready for a fight. But weren’t they all these days…?

With no motley crew of adventurers to be (obviously) found, Noctis stopped his idle quest. He stopped between a decorative folding screen and a couple of wicker chairs. He shifted to his right and sat down in one of the chairs. Ignis crossed in front of the prince, his arms loosely held around himself. He moved towards the window and stared out of its barely frosted panes. From this vantage point, he could see the road and the stairs in front of the entrance. Ah. That reminded him. Where did that woman go? The thought only occurred to him just now. Ignis lazily looked over his left shoulder and then his right, trying to spot someone. When he found nothing, he angled his gaze down and saw Noctis staring at him.

        “Why don't you take a load off?” Noctis asked, patting the seat next to him. “Someone of us can't all be vigilant sentinels.”

Noctis was sitting with his legs apart and leaned completely back in his chair. It was amazing how quickly he could make himself comfortable. Stepping away from that thought, Ignis moved over towards the indicated chair and settled into it. He brought up his left leg and set his ankle onto his right knee. He rested his elbows on the arm rests, laced his fingers together, and stared out towards their surroundings. From where he was sitting, the folding screen hid him partially from view. He could see the wall of counters and attendants straight ahead and to the right of him, but the world behind the screen and to the left were lost.

        “Hey,” Noctis began, lifting his feet up onto his toes and lowering them back down. “What was that earlier?”

        “Earlier?” Ignis tipped his head towards the prince.

        “That look you gave me.” Noctis supposed it was really more a _lack_ of a look. A stare, really, but still. He lifted his chin a bit before lowering it and tipping his head to the right. “Was something wrong?”

The question seemed very familiar of not too long ago or forever ago. Time was hard to keep up with on the road. Ignis smiled warmly at the thought of untraceable parallels and looked straight ahead. He relaxed his hands to press the tips of his fingers together.

        “I was just thinking.”

        “Oof, that’s a dangerous thing.” Noctis turned himself to face Ignis more. “I hear it’s not a good idea to do too much of that.”

        Ignis’ lips quirked up the slightest bit. “Is that so?” He turned his attention back to Noctis.

        “It’s so.”

Noctis reached forward and placed a hand over Ignis’ bicep. He coaxed his advisor closer with a gentle tug. Ignis went easily. Their lips met in a brief kiss. They were both, to their own degrees, thankful for the folding screen that allowed them some modicum of privacy. When Ignis pulled back, Noctis just gave him a small smile.

        “You should really stop doing that every once in a while.”

        “Kissing you, Your Highness?”

        “Don’t be snarky.” Noctis smirked as he spoke. “I meant overthinking. Whatever’s on your mind, it can wait, right?”

Ignis' smile faded slowly. His lips quirked up in the right corner as a sad but thoughtful expression took the smile's place. Noctis stroked his thumb against Ignis' arm, sighing softly through his nose when Ignis finally looked away. This man was doomed to thinking himself in circles. Noctis could only wonder what it was that made that smile disappear. He lowered his gaze down to where his hand was settled. A moment of silence settled between them, but it was swallowed by the din of conversation and life happening around them. Noctis lost himself in his own thoughts, but then one particular idea captured him amongst the flood. He grabbed onto it and looked back up to Ignis' profile.

        "You need a break,” he said. Ignis side glanced to him, and Noctis gave a squeeze of his lover’s arm. “Let me take care of you today.”

        “Mn? And how do you plan to do that?”

        “Can’t tell ya. Don’t want you to counter it.”

Ignis clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He knew that there was no way he was going to get around Noctis’ decision making, but then again, he didn’t think he cared enough to try and pick apart what the prince was planning. When there was no following rebuttal, Noctis lit up. He pat Ignis on the arm now with both hands.

        “Just relax, Specs. I’m gonna treat you like a King.”

        “A King?”

        “Mhm.”

Before Ignis was given a chance to properly think on it, Noctis came to his feet and was pulled up Ignis. He guided Ignis past the folding screen and into the larger space of the common room. This lobby… was huge. There were so many individual parts and sections and groups all about. Stairs led to different areas on the higher and lower levels. Noctis’ gaze flicked from one section to another, astounded by how much could fit into such an enclosed space. Ignis did much of the same, but his eyes were going from person to person; he was keeping an eye out for anyone looking their way and whatever interested or hostile or suspiciously ambivalent gazes that would have tipped him off.

        “Yo! Over here!” they heard a voice cut through the noise.

Ignis and Noctis looked in unison and saw Gladio waving them down. Prompto, on the other hand, was talking with someone behind a counter. Noctis and Ignis stepped closer. They were unable to make out most of the conversation until they were a few of feet away. Noctis placed a hand on his hip and looked over towards who Prompto was talking to. They were around Gladio’s height with a green wrap around their head. Numerous chains and ornate pendants hung around the person’s ears and over their thick, straight brows. The rest of their flowing clothing followed in the same scheme of green, gold, bronze, and off-white. Their eyes were a magnificent shade of gold that even Ignis had to wonder if they were real. The person smiled brightly when Prompto agreed to something.

        “Prom’s wooing them over with his expertise,” Gladio said with a slow, idle sweep of his left hand.

        “First time being a pro,” Noctis teased, glancing over to his friend.

Prompto, while still speaking, looked over his shoulder and shot Noctis a half-hearted glare. Noctis closed his eyes, placed a hand over his heart, and jerked backwards a bit, pretending that the glare stunned him. Prompto looked straight ahead again; the handsome person in front of him nodded. When he was finished talking, they looked up to the two newcomers.

        “Oh, hello. Who is this?” Their eyes seemed to shine as they looked between Noctis and Ignis.

        “These’re my friends,” was as much as Prompto got to say before the other person leaned forward.

        “Hello!” They greeted with a smile as dazzling as their eyes. “I am Aadesh.”

        “She’s with The Greek Helba.” Prompto pointed his thumb towards her.

        “I am one of many.” She bowed her head with a modest smile, tucking her hands into her sleeves. “Most of us are spread throughout the continent currently, chasing down exquisite marks. That just leaves me, here, with some of my fellows.” As she finished speaking, she looked back to Prompto. She waited a moment and then spoke again, “So, you will not need anything else?”

        “I think I’ve got it.”

        “I’ll go with him for protection,” Gladio said, lifting his chin up slightly.

        “Protection?” Aadesh smiled again and laughed. The sound was strong and echoing on its own. “I do not believe he will need protection, but of course!” She pulled her hands out of her sleeves and faced her palms towards Gladio. “There is always safety in numbers.” She brought her hands into her lap and looked over to the other two. “And will you be going?”

        “Probably not,” Ignis replied coolly.

        Noctis nodded a bit. “We wouldn’t want to throw off his 'groove' or anything.”

        “Then I suppose you will have to leave us to our business. As of this moment, these two are under The Greek Helba’s contract. I, unfortunately, cannot give the location of this mark with you two around. This is for your safety.”

        Prompto turned then, leaning his weight on his left elbow, which rested on the counter. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back! We’ll just call you when we’re finished.”

        “Go kick back for a while. There’s probably a lot to do in this city,” Gladio said.

        Ignis nodded slowly. “Perhaps a bit too much.”

        Noctis laughed in agreement and reached up to gently push Ignis towards the exit. “We’ll go explore and look for camp. Come back alive, you two.”

        Prompto saluted with two fingers. “Will do!”

 

Ah…

It was nice to get fresh air again. The open skies, the framing of trees, the rolling lifts and lows of the hillside… This beat the packed city by leaps and bounds. Noctis placed his hands on his hips and took in a deep breath. When did he become such a nature boy? He smirked at his own thought, and the sound of Ignis groaning not too far behind him made him turn slightly.

        “I thought you were going to lay down.”

        “Needed to get something,” Ignis said as he lowered down onto one knee.

He pushed something inside of the tent and began to crawl inside. Noctis looked away. He stared down at the ground for a thoughtful moment and then began walking towards the tent himself. Ignis didn’t have a chance to lay down yet, but he was in the midst of making himself comfortable. He watched Noctis with raised brows as the prince grabbed one of the still compacted bed rolls and the black nylon bag. Noctis didn’t pay Ignis any mind; he was moving with single-minded focus. He merely took the items and then withdrew out of the tent as silently as he had come.

Ignis stared at the opening of the tent with a blank expression before huffing out a simple “Hm.” He went back to his task. He removed his gloves and set them down on the ground next to him and beside the book he had brought in. Surprisingly, he hadn't really noticed the temperature when in the city. The overcrowded streets had taken up most of his focus. But out here in the grasslands? He could feel the humidity all around him, weighing down like a blanket.

He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it off his body. Underneath, he had on a thinner, deep wine coloured racerback tank top. He reached forward to undo and remove his shoes as well. When he sat back, he adjusted the necklace against the hollow of his clavicle. He fiddled with the item as his thoughts took him elsewhere. He wondered when the other two would be leaving on their mission. How were they going to get there…? Well, Ignis could only assume that The Greek Helba would have the basics taken care of.

Ignis felt himself frowning. But still… He worried a little.

        “Ignis,” Noctis called from outside.

        Ignis’ face relaxed just enough for him to lower his hand down from the necklace and onto his bed roll. “Yes?”

        “C’mere.”

Ignis paused for a moment and then turned so that his palms and knees were touching against the floor of the tent. He pushed himself up into a crouching position and exited out of the tent. A breeze hit him full on. The humid air hugged around his freshly exposed skin. He brought one leg up, pulled off his sock, and then did the same with the other. He flicked his socks back into the tent and– ah yes. This felt a lot better having the grass underneath his bare feet. Finally, after gathering himself in his new surroundings, Ignis walked over towards Noctis.

        “Done daydreaming?” the prince joked when Ignis approached.

        “Sorry about that.”

        “Nah, no worries.” Noctis waved his left hand dismissively. Ignis noticed that the usual glove was missing. “C’mon. Lie down.”

He moved his hand down and motioned to the bed roll that was now unfurled and lying on the grass. Ignis tilted his head as he stared at it. Noctis watched the other male for a few seconds before walking over and grabbing Ignis by the arm.

        “Promise it’s not gonna bite,” he said. He let go once they were standing in front of the bed roll together.

        “I had my suspicions,” Ignis joked, but he did lower himself down onto his knees.

He reached his hands forward and gently eased himself onto his stomach. The smell of grass wasn’t off putting, but it was _such_ an outdoorsy smell. Strange how he had become so accustomed to that smell, how he had almost preferred in to the typical city scents. When did he become so outdoorsy…? Noctis walked around to Ignis’ left and sat down casually. He went to his knees and then sat a little off to the side, his hip coming in contact with Ignis’.

        “Don't you look comfortable?” Noctis teased as he cracked his knuckles and flexed his fingers. “Looks like you're having a bit of a lazy day.”

        Ignis chuckled. “One of a few, unfortunately.”

        “Well. Let's just make some good of it.”

Noctis moved his hands over to Ignis' back. He pressed down on either side of the advisor's spine and worked at the muscles with the heels of his palms. Ignis crossed his arms under his head. He had to angle his head so that his cheek was mostly resting against his arm to keep his glasses from going askew, but he was used to that little obstacle by now. The adjustment didn't slow Noctis any, so neither made a comment. The silence was thick but familiar.

Noctis watched as Ignis made himself comfortable without much fuss. It made Noctis happy to see his lover in a peaceful state; the realisation that this was something of a rare sight was, however, a bit disheartening. Ever since their adventure started, Noctis could see how the tension took a toll on Ignis’ body. He could see how duty stole away a lot of Ignis’ expressiveness. Not that he was like Gladio or Prompto to start out with, but he had his own charming mannerisms that gave him… life. With each mile they traveled, it felt as if Ignis was operating more like an executed program and less like a person. Noctis frowned to himself as he leaned forward and moved his hands higher. Was it because of him and what he had to do…? Was that draining Ignis' life away?

He pressed his thumbs between Ignis’s shoulder blades. He rolled them in circles but carefully so he didn’t pinch any skin. His other fingers draped over Ignis' shoulders. Ah… Ignis’ skin was so warm. Already? They hadn't been outside for that long. Noctis moved a hand to his own face, pushing at his cheek with the back of his hand and the underside of his wrist. Hm, he was a bit warm too. If they weren’t careful, they both might burn in the sun. Noctis huffed a little laugh. That would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it? He told Ignis not to worry, and yet—

        “Something funny?” Ignis asked, keeping his eyes closed.

        “Wouldn’t it suck if we both got sunburned?” Noctis asked out loud. He pressed his left hand flat between Ignis’ shoulder blades and lowered his other hand down to the back of Ignis’ neck.

        “A lot— _ah_ …” Ignis’ lashes fluttered as Noctis’ thumb rolled against that spot at the base of his skull. He sighed out something akin to a moan and squirmed a little in place.

        “Feel good?” Noctis asked lowly.

        “Yes…” Ignis replied breathily, his mouth slightly open as another silent moan came.

His shoulders jerked slightly when Noctis added a bit more pressure, and the pleasure Noctis felt was indescribable as he watch Ignis melt under his hands. The prince smiled to himself and moved his hands down. He gave Ignis some of his solidity back as he slowly began massaging other places. He didn’t know what he was doing on a _technical_ level, but he could feel certain spots that were tense or way too warm and just worked out those kinks.

He moved slower at times to check on Ignis’ reaction and his skin to make sure he wasn’t going to burn. He just wanted to make sure his advisor, his friend, his lover was comfortable before going into full on doting mode.

        “How ya feeling?” Noctis asked as he returned to his methodical pace (which wasn’t much different to Ignis).

He only received a deep hum in response. Well, that definitely checked the mark for “comfortable”, now didn’t it? He chuckled and began working over Ignis’ arms. He did one and then the other with firm but slow movements. He had to coax them from under the advisor’s head, but he was sure to replace them where they were when he was done.

        “Where did you learn this?” Ignis asked finally.

        Noctis shrugged nonchalantly. “Didn't really learn it,” he said as he turned towards the nylon bag. It was pretty small, easily carried in one hand, and was just enough to carry their smaller items and toiletries in neatly. “Just going with the flow, I guess.”

        Ignis laughed a little. “Why does that not surprise me?”

        “It shouldn't.” Noctis smiled a bit himself.

He pulled out the bottle of sun screen, tossing it up with a lazy flick before it fell in his palm again. There was still a decent amount left, he deduced from the weight. He looked over to Ignis, whose shirt was bunched up along the back in some places. He looked so cozy; it was a shame to disturb his peace, but Noctis needed to continue on with this little session of theirs. He swayed, leaning his weight back.

        “Gonna need you to do something,” he said with a smile in his voice.

        “Mn?”

        “You’re gonna need to get undressed.”

Ignis opened one eye and stared at Noctis, who only raised up the bottle of sunscreen silently. He gave it a little wiggle for effect.

        Ignis sighed and closed his eye again. “What’re you planning?”

        “Do you wanna burn out here? No? Didn’t think so.” Noctis poked Ignis in the side with the bottle. “Won’t take long.”

        “I have to get completely undressed?” Ignis asked as he sat up.

        Noctis looked away from the other male and looked up towards the sky. “It’s just you and me and the open air. And I don't know about the wildlife out here, but I can keep a secret.”

        Ignis laughed briefly. “Alright,” was all he said.

 _That was… easy_ , Noctis thought to himself. He looked back and watched as the other male got undressed. Noctis adjusted himself on the ground, drawing up one leg and crossing his arms over his knee. He rested his chin on his arms and tilted his head to the side, watching as Ignis went through the motions silently. When the last of Ignis’ clothes were gone, Noctis said,

        “It’s strange how much you trust me. I could just steal all your clothes and warp away."

Ignis visibly froze and then swung his head over towards Noctis. They held each other’s stare, and Noctis couldn’t fight the devious smile spreading across his face.

        “Don’t,” Ignis stated plainly.

        Noctis couldn’t help but laugh. “I won’t; I won’t."

He dropped his arms down to his side and rocked forward. He kissed Ignis apologetically. They parted enough to touch noses, and Ignis said,

        “I’m serious.”

        Noctis laughed again. “So am I. Get down before I change my mind.”

Ignis rolled his eyes but reclined onto his back. This was better; at least he didn't have to accommodate for his glasses. Noctis poured a decent amount of sunblock onto his left palm and placed the bottle between his thighs.

        “You’re pretty complacent today,” he said off handedly. He took Ignis’ right arm and carefully covered it in sunblock.

        “Hm? Am I?”

Noctis nodded his head and worked his hands down to Ignis’ throat. He cupped over his lover’s neck with both hands, his thumbs caressing over the full Adam’s apple. Noctis felt a slight twitch in Ignis’ neck, saw the subtle tensing of his lover’s jaw. _Relax_ , he said with the tender stroking of his hands. He continued in careful movements from one part of Ignis' body, following each line and muscle with tender attention. Little by little, the tension and knots loosened throughout Ignis’ body. It took time, so much time, but Noctis felt that it was worth it. He dabbed a bit of sunblock over Ignis’ cheeks and rubbed it by smooshing his lover's cheeks. He grinned at the surprised look on Ignis’ face before drawing away. He went to the nylon bag and pulled out the packet of wet wipes.

“So, is this the Kingly treatment you promised?” Ignis asked. He was just basking in the sun now. His left leg was drawn up with his hands poised on either side of his head. He looked relaxed—actually, properly relaxed. Noctis looked over to Ignis and felt… something that was beyond words, something that combined relief and pride and happiness and gratefulness that Ignis was well and truly at ease. It was so comfortably felt; he just didn’t know how to describe it. He finished wiping his hands and curled the towelette around his index finger. He wiped his lips with it before setting it on top of the bag.

He reached inside for two final items and moved to settle in between Ignis’ legs. He lowered the bottle of lube down to the ground and set the condom next to it. His left hand went to Ignis' hip then, and he rubbed over the pelvic bone with his thumb.

        “That’s the beginning part, but it’s not over.”

He pushed up onto his knees and looked down at Ignis, who opened his eyes just enough to stare up at Noctis through his lashes.

        “And what do you plan to do now?”

        “Just wanna spoil you a little more," Noctis replied in a sultry voice.

        Ignis nudged the corner of his glasses with his curled middle finger. “Hm. I suppose I can allow that.”

        Noctis leaned down and kissed at Ignis’ jaw. “Sounding like a King already, Ignis.”

Ignis chuckled and let his eyes fall closed again. He figured it wouldn’t be so bad to let the pampering continue. Noctis was right, though; Ignis was rather agreeable today. He felt himself just fluidly following along with the things Noctis did and wanted. It was… relaxing to let go of the reins for a while. Even if he felt he did have something of a loose grip still, Ignis believed that he had made a fair bit of improvement recently. Today was just proof of it. He was letting go of his “micromanaging” tendencies. Prompto basically wrangled his own hunt; Gladio was tagging along with him. Noctis was doing a bang up job with keeping Ignis from worrying and planning and laying out their next steps.

He sighed through his nose as Noctis’ hands found his thighs again. Why did he ever worry this much? Why did he work his mind into a stupor, chasing hundreds of thousands of hypotheticals to make sure the worst would never come? Some would think that he answered his own question, but… there was more to it than that. With the way Ignis worked, even when he was a child old enough to understand the infinite variables of life, he knew he had to prepare for anything.

But for now, he would just… let go and let mercy be his god.

Noctis’ hands spread his legs apart, and with silent coaxing, Ignis pressed his feet flat on the bed roll. He adjusted himself a bit before settling. He kept his eyes closed, brought his left wrist against his forehead, and sighed softly. It wasn’t long before he felt the wet touch of something between his legs. Noctis’ lips gently touched against his inner thigh. A wet finger pushed past the tight ring of muscle. Another kiss was placed against trembling skin.

Ignis kept himself relaxed. His right hand scratched against the bed roll jerkily. It didn’t hurt; it had just been so long since he allowed himself to receive. His moan was a shaky exhale, less of a noise and more of a feeling. He concentrated on the feel of Noctis, his lips, his finger— _ah…_ Another finger was added. It was so careful. Ignis bit down on his bottom lip to stifle a moan. His brows drew together, and Noctis moved so gently inside of him. His fingers were flat and only curled on the withdrawal. When the prince found _that_ spot, Ignis’ hips rocked down against the fingers.

 _There_. It was all he could say without actually saying it. He moved his wrist from his forehead to his lips and moaned against the delicate bone. His moans came more rapidly, more shaky noise that left his body as Noctis prepared him.

        “Noct,” he moaned, unable to keep himself from speaking, at least, his lover’s name. “A–ah!”

His breath caught in his throat from the way Noctis moved his fingers. It made Ignis’ entire body jolt. He curled his toes and lifted his hips, trying to encourage the prince to do it again. And he did. Ignis pressed his lips together, trying to hold back another noise. The fingers withdrew. Ignis turned his head to his right. He moved his left hand somewhere down to his side, and his right pushed up his glasses, pinching against the bridge of his nose.

The air and the sun were making him warm, but the way that Noctis was making him feel was firing him up even more so. He heard the soft rustle of clothing, and he spent his time trying to catch his breath. He wondered how much Noctis would undress. Probably not very much, right…? He didn’t open his eyes to look. The sound of foil ripping open soon followed. Ignis moved his right wrist against his perfect lips as Noctis slid into him. _God._ It truly had been a long time… He moaned louder, which wasn’t very much but sounded deafening to his own ears.

Weight shifted over him. He felt Noctis’ thumbs on either side of his chest; blunt nails scratched against his ribs. Soft lips touched his palm and the curve of his fingers. Noctis’ hips moved in a slow wave; the length of his cock inched in but never pushed in completely deep. Ignis tilted his chin up slightly before leaning his head back completely against the bed roll. He gasped. It felt so good…

        “Now, now, _Your Majesty_ ,” Noctis teased in a breathy voice. “Looks like you’re actually enjoying yourself.”

Ignis smiled weakly—at least he _felt_ his lips twitch up into something positive. In the name of every god, _yes_. He was enjoying himself, completely and absolutely. It was just hard for him to be vocal, hard for him to fully let go and express himself.

But Noctis wasn't deterred by it. He worked methodically; he moved a hand against the curve of Ignis’ body, tracing each muscle with a loving carefulness. He knew what Ignis looked like in the throes of pleasure, so if there was any deviation from that, he would stop. He would ask. He would do his part to make sure that Ignis was fully enjoying himself and, for once, letting go of and forgetting everything else around him. Maybe it was foolish hope, an idealistic quest to get his lover to unwind more than he already had. Sometimes, Noctis wished he knew what Ignis was thinking.

He thrust back in halfway, bringing his hands down to hold onto Ignis’ hips. The advisor gasped; his mouth opened for a command, but nothing came out. He moved himself down against Noctis, hoping to convey what he wanted with the silent motions. _More_. Noctis gave him more, thrusting deeper – but not quite. Moving faster but with that palpable degree of care. Ignis drew in a breath as Noctis shifted his angle. _T-there—_ again. That spot set Ignis on fire from the inside. He reached with his left hand and gripped Noctis' wrist. _Wait_.

Noctis did as he was silently told. He took steady breaths past his parted lips. Another command came before Ignis loosened his grip. This time verbal:

        “Harder.”

        Noctis felt himself blush. The heat was creeping over his ears. “You sure?”

        Ignis nodded his head. “Just go slow for now.”

Slow but hard. That, Noctis could do. He closed his eyes and focused on his actions. He followed the instructions perfectly, removing any ginger sense of delicacy that lingered in his mind. He waited for any signals for him to change his angle or pace. Ignis’ legs closed on either side of him. Noctis leaned forward, and the slightly new angle made Ignis’ leg jump against his hip before settling. He opened his eyes and looked at the other’s face.

Ignis was completely gone.

His hand shifted away from his mouth. The back of it rested against his right eye. His glasses were pushed up; the frame under his lenses rested against his half-curled fingers. His lips were parted as each shaky moan was worked out of him. Ignis reached forward with his free hand as Noctis found a comfortable pace and tugged on his lover’s hip.

 _Faster_.

        “Still hard?” Noctis asked, his words more of a huff than actual syllables.

Ignis nodded briefly but emphatically. It was all he could do. The pace picked up, and he surrendered himself to it. He said something, some shaking, breathless call to the Heavens, but he could hardly hear his own voice. He moved his hand up and threaded his fingers in Noctis’ hair. The layers were so uneven and a bit dry, but he ignored it all as he tugged the prince closer to his chest. Noctis touched his forehead to Ignis’ body as he hammered in.

He could feel Ignis’ heartbeat; it was beating faster, harder, in time to their coupling, and Noctis couldn’t help but laugh a little. He kissed Ignis’ chest. His reverence went into a delicate action while his hips drove each hard thrust. The heat in his own body was urgently racing to one place. He was losing himself in the moans that Ignis was making. This felt so rare that it could only be cherished. Noctis sat back and moved his left hand up his own stomach before sliding up to his chest. His shirt bunched around his wrist, going up with the movement of his hand. He looked down at Ignis’ body, watching with barely opened eyes as the pleasure won out over the usually stern expression.

Ignis’ orgasm came as a surprise to them both. It was unannounced and striking, leaving Ignis breathless and tight around Noctis’ cock. Noctis watched as Ignis came, and he looked _divine_. He was an absolute vision in the open air. The grass and the low growing flowers surrounded him like a painting, but the poetic imagery was overtaken by the forcefulness of Noctis’ own climax.

He spilled himself inside the condom and panted his own pleasure as he stilled. Silence fell. There was the sound of wind blowing, though no relief. A bird chirped somewhere off in the distance, but ultimately, it was quiet between them. Ignis took in a deep, steadying breath. His entire body tingled; it was a bit strange, unfamiliar in its infrequency, but he was coming back to himself. He pressed his lips together as Noctis drew out of him.

Noctis pulled off the condom and carefully tied its open end. He reached over for the towelette, which had dried by now and used it to wrap around the condom. He set it down on the ground and reached into the bag for another wet wipe, but he felt a hand against his bicep. Another reached for his shirt. The two hands tugged at him gently, and Noctis smiled to himself as he went with Ignis' silent coaxing. Strong hands framed his face. It was easy to surrender himself as he was guided down. Noctis closed his eyes as Ignis pulled him into a long and tender kiss. He lowered down to his left forearm to brace his weight. He pressed further into the kiss, making it deeper and more heated. He almost smiled at the soft sigh of a moan he felt from Ignis.

        He drew back some. “Sit pretty for a while. I’ll be back.”

        “As you wish.”

Noctis smiled against Ignis' pretty lips. He gave a final peck and pulled himself up into a sitting position. He grabbed the packet of wet wipes out of the bag again and plucked one out. He used it to clean the cum off Ignis' stomach. He checked himself to make sure he was clean. He wiped his dick, wrapped the wet wipe up with the others, and then straightened up his clothing. He grabbed the ripped condom wrapper, added it to the small pile of trash he was accumulating, and reached to grab both bottles of lube and sunscreen in turn.

He could tell that he was being watched but didn't mind. He made sure each bottle was properly closed before throwing them into the bag, which he zipped up. He grabbed the bag with one hand and the trash pile with the other. Without looking back to Ignis, Noctis stood up and wandered towards the camp.

Ignis watched him go. He stared at the prince’s back and marveled at the other male who moved quietly through the camp. It was funny how serendipitous life could be. Stumbling about in a clustered city allowed them to have this moment together, and in turn, they would all benefit from, what Ignis believed would be, a successful hunt. He brought his hands behind his head and stared up at the sky. There was a fair bit of clouds floating about. It was a little odd to him to be here, naked, seeing the forest for the trees. Or, in this case, the sky for the clouds.

He closed his eyes and sighed calmly through his nose. He wanted to thank Noctis somehow. He knew that it wouldn’t _entirely_ be necessary, but still. He wanted to. He just wondered how or when or if his simple ‘Thanks’ would be ever enough.


End file.
